Featured Publications

Special Issue of the Journal of Learning Analytics based on the selected, extended, and revised papers that were presented at the Third International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (LAK’13).

This paper provides insight into the use of curriculum analytics to enhance learning-centred curricula in diverse higher education contexts. Engagement in evidence-based practice to evaluate and monitor curricula is vital to the success and sustainability of efforts to reform undergraduate and graduate programs. Emerging technology-enabled inquiry methods have enormous potential to inform evidence-based practice in complex curriculum settings. For example, curriculum analytics, including data from student learning outcomes, graduate qualities, course selection and assessment activities, can be mined from various student learning systems and analysed to inform curriculum renewal strategies and demonstrate impact at both the program and course level. Curriculum analytics can serve to foster a culture of inquiry and scholarship regarding program improvements that is characterised by information sharing within and across disciplinary borders. This paper presents an innovative technology that draws on social network methodologies for assessing and visualising the integration and linkages across individual courses that ultimately form a student’s complete program of study. Insights are grounded in the literature and curriculum leadership experiences in a Canadian research-intensive university setting.

The last decade has witnessed the growing prominence of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and the rise of learning analytics in higher education institutions. This is not surprising given the developments in technology, pedagogy, online/open learning and data availability as well as the increasing academic interest in various aspects of teaching and learning. Learning analytics applications have made possible customised and enhanced learning experiences for the learners, and improved student retention and success for the institutions. Learning analytics can be viewed as an integral part of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). This aligns with SoTL as a research domain that enhances students’ learning experiences. This article explores the educational potential of learning analytics and how it could be exploited for the SoTL in a higher education context. It examines the conceptualization and meaning of SoTL as well as Learning Analytics, followed by a discussion on how SoTL and Learning Analytics can support each other. An illustration to show that Learning Analytics can be an effective platform for educators to advance SoTL is reported.

The purpose of this study is to suggest more meaningful components for learning analytics in order to help learners to improve their learning achievement continuously through an educational technology approach. 41 undergraduate students in a women’s university in South Korea participated in this study. The seven-predictor model was able to account for 99.3% of the variance in the final grade, F(8, 32) = 547.424, p < . 001, R2 = .993. Total login frequency in LMS, (ir)regularity of learning interval in LMS, and total assignments and assessment composites had a significant (p < .05) correlation with final grades. However, total studying time in LMS (β = .038, t = .868, p > .05), interactions with content (β = −.004, t = −.240, p > .05), interactions with peers (β = .015, t = .766, p > .05), and interactions with instructor (β = .009, t = .354, p > .05) did not predict final grades. The results provide a rationale for the treatment for student time management effort.

Employment Opportunities

NEW!Bay Path University (Springfield, MA)
The American Women’s College at Bay Path University seeks an experienced, talented individual to work collaboratively with key stakeholders to maximize student and institutional success through the use of data analytics to drive institutional business decisions and online learning strategies. OPEN UNTIL FILLED

University of Queensland (Australia)
The new Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITALI) will provide leadership, engagement and advocacy in educational innovation, teaching excellence and learning analytics and aims to transform & innovate teaching, learning and creativity. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 22 September 2014

Taylor’s University (Malaysia)
The Learning Analytics Specialist is responsible for strategy development, data analysis, education evaluation and learning analytics. He/She will support the Taylor’s University learning analytics strategic priorities through the design, development and implementation of an innovative and sustainable learning analytics strategy and will engage with academic staff to encourage the use of analytics tools to support teaching and learning. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 3 October 2014

New!Delft Extension School (The Netherlands)
We are looking for a researcher (PhD or Postdoc level), whose research focuses on the modeling
and analysis of learners and their learning processes in the context of MOOCs (Massive Open
Online Courses). DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: 15 October 2014